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New PlayStation 4 keyboard and mouse? Is this a game changer?

Playstation 4 owners have been a bit short of innovation for the last few months so the announcement of a new keyboard and mouse set up being released has caused understandable shock waves. It is designed, apparently, to allow PS4 owners to play first person shooters (FPS) just like PC gamers do. For many years it has been argued that PC gamers get a more fulfilling experience using their keyboard and mouse, especially on a FPS game. Now, this particular console has players who can, potentially, replicate that experience.

It’s called the Tactical Assault Commander and it has been especially aimed at PS4 machines. However, the keyboard and mouse combination can also be used with PS3 machines. The PS3 is still very much alive and well, and there are legions of players on that platform, so it kind of makes sense to allow for backwards functionality in this respect.

It has arrow keys for starters. These will work very well with menus, obviously, but should also see some functionality in FPS games. We would be absolutely amazed if they were not used to choose weapons, for example. But one of the most intriguing keys on the keyboard concerns a major aspect of FPS games.

The ‘Snipe’ key allows you to do just that. Tied in with the sniping or zoom function on a game, it will allow players to quickly focus on an enemy and target them more effectively.

The unit also has a PlayStation button and a D pad so that players can avoid feeling that they have entirely lost their PlayStation experience. This is an nice touch and we feel it adds plenty of fun to the final product.

Higher Accuracy

Most people agreed that it is an excellent invention and should allow FPS players to gain more efficiency in their play. It has always been more challenging using a controller to play games like Battlefield or Call of Duty, and this new direction should ensure that players can target better, and feel more comfortable as their character is running around trying to shoot everyone on a map.

Some concerns have come up though, most notably a worry that it will simply allow some players on the PS4 platform to be better and more efficient than others, especially novice players. This has always been the case anyway, as ‘noobs’ are routinely blown to pieces by a player who is a little more experienced. But having the keyboard, and the enhanced player control this brings, may mean that there will be an unfair advantage.
If this is the case we won’t know until it is field tested. Watch this space, we anticipate plenty of comments and opinions being thrown up online as this piece of technology is embraced by the millions of FPS players on the planet.